Parents Talk: Am I a Tiger Mom?

Parents Talk is a weekly feature on Patch where we reach out to those moms, dads, grandparents, etc. looking for a resources and information (or maybe just a sounding board) to talk about parenting. We invite and encourage you to tell your friends about Parents Talk, too. After all, we can’t build a community without your help. We hope that you will contribute your ideas, questions, anecdotes and advice to other parents in your hometown.

In the coming months, we will also be organizing a Parents Council that will help answer some of your questions and offer practical, real world solutions. The council will consist of experts (i.e. other parents) who can speak firsthand about everything from potty training to the best pediatricians to surviving driver’s education with a teenager.

We hope you’ll use Parents Talk as one of the many resources you can find for raising happy, healthy children.

Please take a moment to weigh in with your comments below.

This week's discussion topic:

A couple months ago, my husband and I got into a long debate about how much is too much when it comes to our kids. My daughters, ages 5 and 3, are both in gymnastics and dance. My son, 3, is in gymnastics and soccer. We enrolled them in activities we thought would keep them active, give them a chance to socialize with other children and learn to respect other figures of authority. We've never had to force them to go to class and they really seem to enjoy it.

That said, my husband jokes that I'm becoming a "Tiger Mom." I disagree. If the kids ever said they didn't want to go to their activities, I wouldn't make them. I think organized activities like this are good for them. Who's right? When are extra-curricular activities too much?